Silver Fire now 11,500 acres and growing, still zero percent contained, smoke and ash affecting Silver City and surrounding area

Smoke pours from the now 11,500 Silver Fire in the Black Range on Wednesday afternoon. This photo was taken from Highway 152 heading into Mimbres before the intersection with Highway 35. Residents in Mimbres and Pinos Altos both reported ashes falling like snow over the town.

SILVER CITY — The Silver Fire in the Black Range was reported at 11,500 acres on Wednesday and is still growing but stopped on its own a quarter mile from the town of Kingston, public information officer Andrew Loescher with the Gila National Forest said Wednesday.

The lightning-caused fire started last Friday and continues to grow in nearly all directions. Night time winds pushed the fire towards Kingston and firefighters worked through the night Tuesday night to protect the town, which remains under a mandatory evacuation order. The 29 residents of the town have found refuge with family and friends, Loescher said, but an evacuation center has been set up in the Hillsboro Community Center on Elenora Street, which is also serving as a community kitchen where area residents are making meals for the local firefighter who are helping to battle the blaze, and evacuees from Kingston if they wish.

Highway 152 remains closed from San Lorenzo to Hillsborough for both eastbound and westbound traffic from 35 miles east of Bayard at mile marker 16 to 10 miles west of Hillsboro at mile marker 40. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area has also been closed east of Highway 150 from the Continental Divide Trail 74 south to Reeds Peak.

The fire is being managed by Type 2 Northern Arizona Incident Management Team Commander Matt Reidy, who told firefighters and crews to look for the most effective places to engage the fire with the greatest possibility of success. Reidy reminded the crews that this fire is especially dangerous because it has been more than 100 years since there has been a fire here and the forest is extremely dense.

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"The fire is burning in incredibly rugged and steep terrain that is really inaccessible to firefighters and fuel load is huge," said Loescher.

It burned over Emory Pass, but stopped on its way to Kingston. Firefighters were literally minutes away from doing a backburn to protect Kingston when a fuel break created about 10 years ago and reinforced recently helped stop the fire on its own about a quarter mile from the town.

The weather has continued to hamper efforts, with hot, dry weather, low humidity, and the possibility of dry lightning and windy conditions predicted through today.

It's been 103 degrees in Hillsboro, Loescher said, and humidity is in the single digits, the only thing that has helped is that the winds have not been as extreme as some we have seen during other fires.

The Forest Service has held two public meetings so far, one Monday night at which Governor Susana Martinez attended, along with 175 residents of the area, and another meeting Wednesday morning where 130 people turned out, Loescher said. Another public meeting is tentatively planned for 10 a.m. today but that could change. Meetings are being held at the Hillsboro Community Center, where Loescher said the community has really come together in supporting the local firefighters and area residents.

Unstable atmospheric conditions could allow for a large column of smoke to form over the fire and areas near the Upper Gallinas and Iron Creek Campgrounds along Highway 152 burned actively earlier in the fire and produced several large columns of smoke that were visible from as far away as Deming.

While the fire remains zero percent contained, all divisions of the fire are beginning to build fireline where possible and specialized crews are completing structure protection.

Nearly 400 personnel are assigned to the fire including seven hotshot crews, three 20-person crews, 10 engines, and two dozers. Because of other fires in northern New Mexico, competition for resources is high.

¥The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area is closed east of Highway 150 from the Continental Divide Trail 74 south to Reeds Peak.

¥ Highway 152 from San Lorenzo to Hillsboro from mile marker 16 to mile marker 40 has been closed. There is no estimate of reopening at this time. For more information: www.nmroads.com or call 511 in state or 1-800-432-4269 out of state.

¥ The Royal John Mine Road is closed to the public, but residents are being allowed access at this time.

The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Campfires are only allowed in designated developed campgrounds and picnic areas, and must be in a Forest Service provided grill or fire ring. Fires in rock rings will not be allowed. The use of petroleum- fueled stoves, lanterns or heating devices are acceptable, provided they meet the fire underwriter's specifications for safety. Smoking is limited to a vehicle, building, or threeÐfoot area cleared of all flammable materials.

For more information about the Silver Fire call: 575-388-8363 or go to www.inciweb.org